Anyone built a Tele/Cabronita ....

lovestrat74

With a single bridge pickup and wished they'd built 2 pickup version?

Thinking about a junior style Cab but not sure if I'll regret not having a neck pup? 

Any junior builders out there? Comments/thoughts... Got an pics??

Also, what pup would you recommend for that rock/bluesy, Billy Gibbons sound?

WezV

Easier to rectify than adding a neck pickup and wishing it wasn't there 

TTony

lovestrat74 said:

With a single bridge pickup and wished they'd built 2 pickup version?

No.

But then I've never really found a Tele neck pickup particularly useful!





That last one is particularly good - to my hands and ears - thanks to the Warmoth solid RW neck and the Oil City pickup. 

IIRC, it's a bit of an Ash special, based on a  Diesel Tap but slightly overwound.  Both pots and push/push - the first to access the tapped output from the p'up, and the second as a blower switch.  Using those options and the standard volume control, it's surprisingly versatile for a single p'up guitar, and a real beast when it's full-on!

stickyfiddle

I like an Esquire, but I'm also a big fan of a good Tele neck pickup, and also the Filtertron neck. 

I would definitely miss it if my Cab didn't have a neck position. 

SteveRobinson

Yes. I'm okay with a Les Paul junior but the Esquire I built myself soon had a mini humbucker in the neck position.

lovestrat74

@stickyfiddle - that is right up my alley! What pups? What's the bridge like? I am always concerned that the bridge will be quite shrill...

lovestrat74

Not a fan of paint @TTony ;

stickyfiddle

lovestrat74 said:

@stickyfiddle - that is right up my alley! What pups? What's the bridge like? I am always concerned that the bridge will be quite shrill...

TV Jones Classic and Classic+; there's little better. While I love a good Gretsch this is a much more practical (and sofa-appropriate!) package for the same sonic ballpark.

This one is semi-hollow, so super-lightweight and sounds a little "Gretschier" than the solid maple-board Fender ones. It's a fairly bright guitar, but that just helps keep the neck pickup nice and lively. It'll do a mean Malcom Young on the bridge pickup - nothing shrill about it.

TTony

lovestrat74 said:

Not a fan of paint @TTony ;

No, not really!!

They've each been stained and oiled, but I prefer to see (and feel) the wood rather than layers of paint.  Plus I don't have any spraying facilities (or experience or skills), so I work with what I've got ...

Funkfingers

I self-assembled a Cabroni(s)ta Especial from Warmoth parts. Pre-owned “boat” neck and a clearance sale painted body in the tasteful Dodge Charger Green. TV Jones Classic Plus pickup, “G” control knobs. 

For BFG sounds, I suggest whatever pickup Mr. Gibbons uses in the Gretsch Billy-Bo model.

IMO, the easiest way to keep your options open is to purchase (or fabricate) a HH Telecaster body. Use a humbucker-sized ‘Tron pickup in the bridge/Treble position. Cover the neck pickup cavity beneath a regular Esquire pickguard.

@ICBM might be able to assist you with a suitable pickup.

guitargeek62

@stickyfiddle - that’s still my favourite one from that batch! 

I agree that Cabs work best with a neck pickup, but if there’s any indecision I’d stick with just the bridge pickup for now, then add it later if needs be. It’s relatively straightforward to do that on them.

lovestrat74

Funkfingers said:

I self-assembled a Cabroni(s)ta Especial from Warmoth parts. Pre-owned “boat” neck and a clearance sale painted body in the tasteful Dodge Charger Green. TV Jones Classic Plus pickup, “G” control knobs. 

For BFG sounds, I suggest whatever pickup Mr. Gibbons uses in the Gretsch Billy-Bo model.

IMO, the easiest way to keep your options open is to purchase (or fabricate) a HH Telecaster body. Use a humbucker-sized ‘Tron pickup in the bridge/Treble position. Cover the neck pickup cavity beneath a regular Esquire pickguard.

@ICBM might be able to assist you with a suitable pickup.

Got any pics @Funkfingers ;

stickyfiddle

guitargeek62 said:

@stickyfiddle - that’s still my favourite one from that batch! 

I agree that Cabs work best with a neck pickup, but if there’s any indecision I’d stick with just the bridge pickup for now, then add it later if needs be. It’s relatively straightforward to do that on them.

Yeah, it's a fine thing. I'd love to try it with a Bigsby at some point, and note Vibramate now do a "shorty" Tele one for hardtail bridges, but it's a chunky of money and hassle and a high chance it will be wobbly but otherwise worse because it's so damn good as-is. 

poopot

Jim. You know full well you’ll want two pups in it

MattNovak

Real men don't need a neck pickup*



* just kidding, obvs

FX_Munkee

I put 2 filtertrons in the one I built and I'd definitely miss the neck pickup if it wasn't there. All 3 positions are very usable sounds, the bridge + neck is surprisingly good and not something I'd expected. Also the push pull pot mod from the original custom shop version is worth doing as well.

Corvus

Billy G prob has at least 13 of everything but the Powertron Plus is one that TVJ made for him. Classic+ bridge is a glorious and more versatile thing though. For less money have a look at Fletcher Pickups, I've got 5 from him now and all excellent.
One of mine has a Classic+ type bridge only, you get used to it and extracting more sounds out of the one pickup.

I got a modernish Tele-ish Cab-ish one on the go, was going to Esquire it at first but it's channeled ready for a neck 'tron/whatever, thinking might make it more appealing/. Trialling a head shape just in scrap ply there

Funkfingers

lovestrat74 said:

Funkfingers said:

... self-assembled ... from Warmoth ... “boat” neck and a clearance sale painted body in the tasteful Dodge Charger Green. TV Jones Classic Plus pickup, “G” control knobs. 

Got any pics, Funkfingers?

https://i.imgur.com/pKJPAd8.jpg

CountryDave

Funkfingers said:

lovestrat74 said:

Funkfingers said:

... self-assembled ... from Warmoth ... “boat” neck and a clearance sale painted body in the tasteful Dodge Charger Green. TV Jones Classic Plus pickup, “G” control knobs. 

Got any pics, Funkfingers?

https://i.imgur.com/pKJPAd8.jpg

Have a wow.

That's just perfect. Love the colour.

TJT1979

Personally I never miss a neck pickup when it’s not there, particularly when playing live. Using the vol & tone knobs and changing how you pick and where you pick, there are an abundance of tones as long as the pickups are good. 

What pickup? That’s down to preference. I have come to the conclusion that I don’t like humbuckers with the exception of vintage-wind Firebird pickups which are much thinner than most. 

I have an as-new TV Jones Classic Plus for sale in the classifieds here... it’s actually pretty fat sounding and versatile and not shrill at all. 

PeteC

Having just discovered P90s for my DC junior builds this has got me wondering if there are any bridge P90s with a nice dark tone - somewhere towards a neck pick up tone ??